Golf-club.



A. C. GOODRICH.

GOLF CLUB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. I914.

Patented Nov. 28,, 1916.

zmhlwu fl g E f T E E E s v E A. c. GOODRICH.

GOLF CLUB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY n, 1914.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

AIQONZO C. GOODRICH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GOLF-CLUB.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 28, 1916,

Application filed July 11, 1914. Serial No. 850,318..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALoNzo C. Gooonrcn, acitizen of the United States, and a resident -'of the city of Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Golf-Clubs; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a golf club, the head of which is adjustableon the shaft enabling a person to move the same through different anglesof adjustment dependent upon the particular shotwhich it is desired toplay, the angle of the striking face of the head, of course, determiningthe loft 1mparted to the ball. I

Golf clubs with adjustable heads have been constructed-heretofore, butthey have been objectionable for many reasons, either due to thedifiiculty of effecting the adjustment, or the insuiiicientstrength ofthe parts and the disadvantageous arrangement thereof. This invention,however, obviates such defects, providing a club, the head of which isexceedingly simple to adjust and when adjusted, is rigidly held inposition. Furthermore, in the present construction the adjusting membersare disposed in 'a protected position on the club, so that accidentalbreakage or disarrangement of the parts is effectually prevented.

It is an object of this invention to construct a golf club wherein thehead ispivotally mounted and capable of being locked in various adjustedpositions to vary the angularity of the face-of the club according tothe particular purposes of the user,-

It is also an object of this invention to construct a golf club whereinthe shank, which is attached to the shaft, is provided with a trackingface upon which the head of the golf club is pivotally mounted and withresilient locking means mountedwithin the head of-the golf club adaptedto engage said tracking face'to hold the head in various adjustedpositions rigidly locked from movement. V

It is also an important object of this invention to construct a golfclub, the angu- "larity of the head of which may be varied respect tothe shaft thereof, and with 153. plurality of resilientlymounted'locking members contained within the head capable of engagingcomplemental apertures'or recesses in a tracking face formed on theshank of the club to hold the head in adjusted position.

It is also an object of this invention to construct a golf club whereinthe shank thereof is provided with a tracking face which coacts with atracking face on a head, the head being pi'votally mounted on said shankand held snugly thereto in all positions, and with means for lockingsaid head in its various positions of adjustment.

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to construct agolf club wherein the shank is provided with a sector shaped trackingelement and the head is similarly provided with an end face shapedcomplementally to engage said sector element to hold the head closelythereto in all positions and with means on the sector element engagingthe head to permit pivotal movement thereof.

It is finally an object of this invention to construct an adjustablegolf club of increased stren'gth, capable of use for the many differentshots which are played, with the striking face entirely freefrom.projections or other deformations necessitated by the construction,and so constructed as to permit the adjustments of the club to be madeinstantly and conveniently by auser.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the shank and head of agolf club embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is an edgeView thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the lower endof the shankwith the head removed. Fig. 4 is an end view thereof. Fig. 5, is afragmentary section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6

is a top plan view of the shank and head shown in- Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is abottom view of the shank portion with the head omitted. Fig. 8 is a rearelevation of the shank and head of a modified form of my device. Fig. 9is a fragmentary detail section taken therethrough similar to Fig. 5.Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section taken on line 10 10 of Fig. 9, with theshank omitted. Fig. 11 isa front view of the lower end of the shank withthe head removed. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary end view of the head showndetached from the shank. Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view As shown in thedrawings, the tapered tubular shank of the club is denoted by thereference numeral 1, and, as usual, is adapted to receive the shaft (notshown) of a club secured therein. A tracking or contact engaging face isformed on an integral sector shaped extension 2, at the lower end of theshank and is provided with an integral stud or gudgeon 3, and a tongue4, directed downwardly convergently toward said stud 3, and curved inthe form of an are thereabout. It is a noteworthy fact that saidextension 2, is not in a plane at right angles toa plane, referring toFig. 1, taken through the axis of the shank in the plane of the drawing.

The head of the club is denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 5,and at its inner end is provided with a recess 6, adapted to pivotallyengage over the stud 3, and is also provided with a pair of parallelrecesses 7, formed in a boss 8, on the rear surfaceof the inner end ofthe club in which are engaged slidably mounted tapered pins 9, normallyimpelled outwardly by small spiral compression springs 10. The extension2, on the shank of the club is provided on its tracking face, with aplurality of tapered recesses 11, each one disposed to receive one ofsaid pins 9, therein at different positions of adjustment of the head,so it is apparent from the number of apertures shown in Fig.

3, that the head of the club is capable of seven different positionswith respect to the shank thereof. For the purpose of retracting saidlocking pins 9, when it is desired to effect an adjustment of the headof the club, finger pins 12, are provided, one for.

together with said stud 3, all adjusting movements of the head arepivotal about the stud as a center, the tongue 4, acting to maintain theparts in proper alinement during adjustment, and owing to theconvergency of said tongue with respect to the stud, withdrawal of thehead from the shank except when the head has been rotated entirely outof engagement with the tongue, is prevented.

In the modified form of my device illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12inclusive, I have shown a slightly different connection between theshank of the club and the head. In the present instance the shank of theclub is denoted by the reference numeral 15, and as before is providedwith an integral slightly angled extension 16, substantially of sectorshape and provided along the upper portion thereof with a groove 17,faced downwardly and arranged concentric with respect to an aperture 18,at the lower end of said extension 16. The head 19, of the club isprovided with an integralstud 20, which interfits rotatably in theaperture 18, and an are shaped tongue 21, integral with said headengages the groove 17. As before, the head 19, in the present case isprovided with slidable tapered locking pins 22,- mounted in recesses ina boss formed on the rear surface of the head of the club and the pinsare normally impelled outwardly by said spiral compression springs 23,to engage .complementally tapered recesses in the extension 16. However,in this form of my device a slightly different means is used forretaining said pins either in looking or in unlocked position, and forthis purpose small studs or pins 21, are provided thereon which extendthrough longitudinal slots in the boss in the rear surface of the head,and mounted on the outer surface of said boss are a pair of strong leafsprings 25, provided with apertures 26, which are adapted to receivesaid stud therethrough. \Vhen it is desired to shift the locking pinsfrom one position to another the leaf springs are elevated and snappedagain over the studs 24, of the shifted locking pin 22.

The'operation is as follows: In the game of golf the selection of theclub for a shot is governed entirely by the distance to be made or thelay of the ball, or sometimes it is desirable to loft the ball aconsiderable amount and at other times to play the same along theground, as in putting. In both of the forms of my device hereinillustrated, the head of the club is capable of adjustment through sevendifferent angles, so that the striking face may be changed to enable theplayer to play any shot desired or necessitated by conditions. The firstposition of the head upon the shank is that with the striking facesubstantially vertical, as used in putting, and this position of thehead is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6. It is to be particularlynoticed that with the head in the adjustment for putting the lower edgeof the head is alined with the shank or shaft of the club, so that theutmost accuracy (a necessary adjunct in putting) is secured.

In the form of my device illustrated in Figs. 1 to Tinclusive, in orderto shift the position of the head of the club on the shank, it is merelynecessary to move the finger pins 12, over in the slots 13, and thus,owing to the curvature of the slot, the pins are retracted. Owing to thefact that the plane of the contact face of the sector extension 2, isangled slightly out of the plane of the axis of the shaft and the loweredge of the head of the club when the same is in its first position,(such angularity being clearly shown in Fig. 6) said angled extension 2,assists in resisting the blow of impact upon the head of the club, whichis, of course. imparted thereto substantially at right angles to thelower edge thereof. Said angled extension relieves the locking pins andpivot stud of a part of the stress due to the pressure thus imposedagainst the face of the extension 2. It is obvious that the head cannotbe disengaged from the shank until said head has been rotated entirelyout of engagement with the tongue 4, thereof.

In the modification of my device illustrated 'in Figs. 8 to 12inclusive, as shown. a supplementary screw 27. is engaged through thegudgeon 20, of the head of the club, which maintains the head rotatablyupon the club in all its adjusted positions, and furthermore the lockingpins may be retained locked in unlocked position by the resilientapertured springs Otherwise the adjustments of the club are the same asin the preceding construction already described. In the latterconstruction, as in the former, the extension 16, is angled with respectto the shank 15, so that said extension acts to resist the impact of ablow on the ball, relieving to some extent the shearing stress upon thelocking pins and pivot stud forming the connection between the head andshank.

Fig. .13 shows a modified form of mounting a locking pin in either thehead or shank extension of the club and permitting the pin 28, to bereadily adjusted. 'For this' purpose the pin is threaded and a threadedcollar 29, is engaged thereon and held from longitudinal movement in aslot through which the knurled periphery of the collar extends forconvenient manipulation by the fingers. Rotation of said collar 29,causes longitudinal movement of the pin 28, to take place into or from alocking position.

I am aware that various details of construction may be varied through awide range without departing from the principles of this invention. andI therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise thannecessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described a golf club comprising a shank. anintegral extension thereon, a head pivoted to said extension. coactingtongues and grooves on said extension and head to guide and retain thehead in its pivotal movement. and a plurality of independent springimpelled locking means mounted in the head of the club and engaging saidextension to hold the head in various adjusted positions.

2. In a device of the class described a golf club comprising a shank toreceive a shaft therein, an integral depending extension thereon angledrearwardly therefrom, a head pivoted thereto, coacting tongue and groovemembers formed on said respective shank and head interfitting with oneanother to retain and guide the head in its movement on the shank andextension, and resilient means engaged within the head adapted tointerlock with said extension at different points to hold the headrigidly in different adjusted positions.

8. A golf club comprising a shank, a head pivoted thereto, coactingtongue and groove members onsaid head and shank to guide the head in itsmovement, and a plurality of resilient means mounted within the head ofthe club parallel to the axis of movement thereof adapted to engagetheshank to hold the head in various positions of adj ustment.

at. In a device of the class described a shank, an extension integraltherewith angled downwardly therefrom and angled laterally andrearwardly, a head pivotedon said extension with the pivotal axis atright angles to the plane of said extension and means for locking saidhead in different positions of adjustment on said extension.

In a device of the class described a shank, an extension thereon saidextension angled rearwardly with respect to the shank, a "head mountedon said extension and adjustable thereon with the surface of said headin contact with the extension also angled rearwardly with respect to anaxis perpendicular to the striking face of said head, and means forlocking said head in different angled positions of adjustment on saidextension to tilt the striking face into different planes for differentShots to. be played.

6. In a golf club of the class described a shank member, an extensionformed thereon and angled rearwardly therefrom, a head pivoted upon saidextensioma tongue formed on said head adapted to engage a groove formedin said extension, a pivot member on said extension for said head atright angles to the plane of said extension, said groove curved aboutsaid pivot member as a center, and means for locking said head indifferent adjusted positions on said extension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO C. GOODRICH.

\Vitnesses CHARLES W HILLS, J12, LEON M. Relssrmx.

